Wireless communication has become highly popular. Every day, people all over the world communicate using wireless telephones and pagers, to name just some of the wireless applications. Wireless networks are increasingly employed to communicate non-voice information, such as stock quotes, email, and text. Wireless networks may be global and span the equipment and services of multiple service providers.
When a customer purchases, leases, or otherwise acquires a wireless device, certain actions may be taken. These actions include registering the customer on the wireless network (e.g. identifying the customer to the network), and selecting a service plan for the customer. Once these actions are taken the customer may employ the wireless device to access the network in accordance with the selected service plan. For example, if the service plan includes Internet access, the customer may send and receive Internet email using the wireless device.
Some wireless devices and networks operate in accordance with the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM). A GSM wireless device may comprise a subscriber identity module (SIM) including “smart card” technology. Smart card technology may include a microprocessor, memory, security features, and a digital interface all packaged in a small, slender form factor of an order of the size of a phone or credit card. The SIM may be inserted into or otherwise coupled to the wireless device to associate a customer identity with the device. The SIM may comprise an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) which uniquely identifies the wireless customer to the network.
To access the network, the device may communicate the IMSI from the SIM to the network. The network may employ the IMSI to identify the customer and to provide access in accordance with the customer's selected service plan. The IMSI may be first communicated to a mobile switching center (MSC). The MSC may operate as a “front end” to the network by converting wireless signals to a form suitable for transmission in electrical or optical form. The MSC may communicate the IMSI to a home location registry (HLR) which may comprise a customer registry. The HLR may employ the IMSI to locate a record for the customer in the registry. The customer record may comprise permissions in accordance with the customer's selected service plan. The HLR may communicate these permissions to the MSC, and the MSC may then provide the customer's wireless device with access to the network in accordance with the permissions. For example, if the customer's service plan comprises data services, the permissions to the MSC may enable the wireless device to send and receive email via the network. If data service is lacking from the service plan, the permissions may enable only voice access.
In GSM networks, access to the network may not be granted until the MSC receives one or more mobile station integrated service digital network (MSISDN) numbers. An MSISDN number may be employed to initiate communication with the wireless device, e.g. it may be employed as the device's phone number.
A problem may arise with new wireless customers (e.g. customers previously unknown to the network and without a service plan). It may be advantageous to allow new customers access to the network in order that they may select a service plan. New customers may be provided with an IMSI at the point of sale, however, it may not be possible to assign an MSISDN number to the customer until after the customer selects a service plan. A “chicken and egg” situation arises in which the customer cannot select a service plan (at least, not using the wireless network) until they are assigned an MSISDN, and an MSISDN cannot be assigned until the customer selects a service plan.